Shroud
by luvliX3
Summary: Each of the Tenth Generation Vongola Guardians are similar to their First Generation counterparts. But what about the Mist Guardian? The First Mist was said to have betrayed Primo, and now, will Tsuna's betray him? Pair: Light 6927 *Set TYL -Hiatus-
1. Prelude

_Here's my newest, hope you like it! ^^_

_Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn and I don't._

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_**Prelude**_

Crystals of light radiated from a chandelier set high above a floor that once held a dining table and now was cleared of furniture with the exception of a refreshments table along the eastern wall. Guests of all sizes and shapes occupied the furniture-cleared space below the glimmering glass.

There was a shot in the air and the guests froze, looking toward the source that pulled the trigger on their firearm. None were surprised to see a man with chin-length silver hair and stormy green eyes fire the shot. On his right was a redhead with thick glasses. To his left was a tall man with short black hair and a nick on his chin—a scare from a battle fought long ago. His toffee eyes revealed his joyful persona hidden behind a stony and blemished face.

The redhead gave a small bow of appreciation, clutching his stomach all the while, "T-Thank you, Gokudera." When he turned to the gathered people, he let go of his stomach and hardened his face. "My name is Irie Shouichi and I just want to congratulate each of you. Everyone did great. You all fought hard out there this past year to defend what was left of the mafia world. On behalf of the Giglio Nero, who lost some very precious people in this fight, I thank you."

A round of applause exploded immediately, and continued to drag on. The silver-haired man prepared his gun again, but was stopped by the tallest of the three, who lowered the gun and shook his head. Gokudera's eyes narrowed and he clicked his tongue—an old habit—and sheathed his weapon. And the applause died down.

Irie's hard expression slowly softened and he smiled, "Now, please welcome the man that this plan would have never worked without, Mr. Sawada Tsunayoshi!"

An even louder roaring applause broke free of the gathered guests' bodies as a lean man took each step down the red velvet, winding staircase with elegance and caution. Even years after losing his nickname "Hapless Tsuna", he was still as prone as always to falling down staircases or tripping over a step.

The brunette waved to his accepting audience as he joined his two guardians and Irie. "Hello everyone," he smiled. His eyes swept over the audience, catching the faces of those most familiar to him: Basil, Shamal, Lancia, Bianchi, Fuuta, the Arcobaleno, Lambo, I-pin—even Mukuro and his subordinates in the archway to a different room, one almost completely devoid of human presence. Chrome stood before him, watching Tsuna with her master. Slowly, Tsuna's gaze drifted away from his Mist Guardians and their friends. "It's been a while since we've last gotten together like this and met. As most of you have heard, I was dead for some portion of my life and for most of this important battle against the Millefiore's Byakuran. While it was 'Sawada Tsunayoshi' whom defeated Byakuran, that Tsunayoshi and myself are two different beings. If it were possible, I would have the younger me from that different plane take the credit instead, however, that is no longer possible."

Tsuna's guests chuckled and Tsuna continued to smile. "I hope you all enjoy the rest of the evening and night during this celebratory party."

The end of Tsuna's speech brought out more clapping hands and cheers. The brunette turned to his best friends and Irie, all the while keeping track of his elusive Mist Guardian and his quiet Mist Guardian through the corner of his hazel eyes. His gaze caught Mukuro's and remained fixated in a staring contest, until…

"Tenth?"

Tsuna looked toward Gokudera, who had called him by a nickname he had received long ago. "Yes?"

"Is something wrong? You seem a bit out of it." Gokudera questioned. Without even waiting for an answer, the Storm Guardian let his worry engulf him and morph his countenance into pain and confusion.

"Gokudera's right," the tallest man agreed, "It seems like there's something else on your mind right now. Is everything alright?"

Tsuna stole a glance back to where Mukuro was, but found the space empty.

"Tsuna?"

He flickered back to his two best friends, "I'm fine, guys. You're being a bit paranoid."

Toffee eyes and green eyes exchanged looks then focused on hazel. "Who wouldn't be after seeing their boss—no, their best friend—die once right in front of them?"

A wave of guilt rolled through Tsuna's body, shaking his heart the hardest. "Sorry, guys. I didn't mean to make you guys face such hardships, but…it was necessary for the plan to work. Besides, I'm still alive and that's what counts, right?"

Gokudera attempted a smile at Tsuna's effort to cheer him and Yamamoto up, "Just don't pull a stunt like that again or I might die, too."

Tsuna laughed, "You got it Gokudera." He looked over his shoulder and saw Chrome looking up at him, waiting, and beckoning him through a telepathic link. Before he could keep his gaze away from his friends for too long, he turned back. "How about you guys all get some drinks? I have some business matters to attend to."

The two Vongola Guardians looked in the direction that Tsuna was glancing at earlier but found no one or nothing that could be of possible interest or intrigue. Both shot each other a glance of doubt then focused back on Tsuna once more. His smile was broad, but seemed half-plastered. "Alright…" Gokudera slowly nodded, "But only because you said so, Tenth." The silver-haired man turned to leave. "Let's go, Takeshi."

The tall man smiled, staring at Gokudera's back. Then, he looked back at Tsuna, "It's probably taking all of Gokudera's might not to follow you around, so don't let yourself get hurt, alright?"

Tsuna let out a small chuckle and smiled. "I'm not like how I was long ago when I couldn't defend myself out of fear and hate of fighting. Don't worry, Yamamoto, I'll be fine." The brunette couldn't help but joke, "If my friendly business gets to such a degree of danger I'll fight."

Yamamoto laughed, "I'll pass on the message to Hayato." He wrapped an arm around Irie and pulled the short man with him, waving as he left, "See you, Tsuna."

Tsuna smiled and waved as he watched Irie's face display shock and Yamamoto laugh at the shorter man's reaction. His hand slowly fell to his side as he stared out over the party and inhaled the scent of conversations. He let out his breath with lids covering his amber eyes.

"Oya, what do we have here? Tsunayoshi without his Guardians surrounding him…"

The suave voice echoed suddenly in Tsuna's ear, but he was hardly surprised by the sudden noise. Slender gloved fingers tapped Tsuna's bony shoulder as if they were striking a set of ivory keys on a piano.

"You're my Guardian, too," Tsuna reminded him.

The corners of lips turned with a curl. "Chrome is your Mist Guardian, not I. That's what the Cervello announced at the Ring Battles so long ago. Or have you forgotten?"

"I haven't," the brunette answered. Tsuna didn't look behind him and stared at the partiers as a small silence settled between the two. "Let's talk somewhere a little less crowded."

"Kufufu…Why is there something wrong with right here? Afraid you'll get caught with a man that tried to kill you? Or, are you afraid to be found dead in the middle of the party you hosted?"

Tsuna smiled, "No, I'm afraid that a certain friend of mine watching from the shadows might try to kill you."

A pair of mismatched eyes flickered to the darker regions of the room and spotted Gokudera, whose fist was sprinkled with shards of glass as well as wet with blood and chardonnay. "I see…Then shall we escape the heat of this party for the open air of the balcony?"

"That's sounds fine to me." Tsuna let the gloved hand lead him to the French door that stood guard between the mansion's interior and the night's cool air. As the two stepped out onto the cold cement and walked towards the railing of the terrace, the glass doors closed behind them and the blinds rolled down.

"Is this better, Tsunayoshi?" The suave voice asked as its body leaned against the railing on its back.

Tsuna chuckled, "The blinds are a bit much for a casual talk between friends. You might give somebody the wrong message by doing this."

"Kufufu, you're getting smarter everyday, Tsunayoshi."

"'Wisdom comes with age'," Tsuna explained. "…Do you need a place to stay now that you're out of prison?"

The converser shook his head. "I'll be staying with Chrome and the others. And speaking of prison…it was quite lonely in there after you 'died'. I had no one else to torment with nightmares."

"Haha, very funny," Tsuna laughed sarcastically, exchanging stares with the man next to him. The smaller man turned his attention to the landscape that stretched seemingly endlessly from the balcony. "When I heard that _you_ died after fighting Glo Xinia, I was really sad. My heart told me that you couldn't possibly be dead, but my head told me otherwise. And, when I finally accepted your death, I got scared. I thought: what am I going to do if the others are killed?"

Long arms wrapped around Tsuna's shoulders. "Tsunayoshi, you are more capable than anyone to protect your friends from being killed. Your bond is so great that just by thinking of you they feel a surge of power born from their wills."

"So, are you admitting to being my friend?" Tsuna asked. A voiceless void filled the air for minutes.

Soft lips touched Tsuna's warm cheek and there was a light chuckle as the brunette's skin reddened from the contact. "Kufufu…I am not your friend, Tsunayoshi. I am merely a man who wishes to possess you for revenge." The arms that had encased Tsuna drifted away in a slow slide, but the taller man remained where he stood, hovering. "And this leads me to wonder why you would let yourself be exposed to such danger in a secluded setting."

In the gloved fingers that had played the human shoulder, a black staff formed. At one end, three silver points appeared. The longest point rested over Tsuna's heart. "It would be so easy to just take you here and destroy the mafia world using the Vongola's name. Only a puncture or a scratch here or…." he moved the trident's edge to the gap between Tsuna's collarbones, ripping off the first two buttons on the brunette's collared shirt and undoing the knotted tie into a rope that lay on the floor in front of two pairs of feet. "I could just slice right here and that would be the end. So why do you keep me so close? Why don't you flinch?"

Tsuna smiled, moving the weapon away from his neck with one finger. "Because, kind sir, I trust you."

"Oh?" Lips curled into a smile and an eyebrow went up in intrigue. "And how far does this trust measure for a man who hurt your friends, a man who forced you deeper into the mafia world for his own satisfaction and gain?"

"To the extent that I would bet my life on this trust."

"That seems a little extreme for you, Tsunayoshi…"

"Then I take it you still don't believe me?"

"Evidence would be the best in this situation," the man answered as his trident disappeared into the night sky.

"Then, how about I tell you some of my secret fears?"

"Oh? So the Great Tenth has more fears than just that over Chihuahuas and losing his friends. Please share, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna let out a sigh that turned into a puff of smoke in the chilly air. He turned back to face the landscape. "Well—" A heavy leather trench coat was rested over his shoulders. Amber eyes glanced up at the older man's, "Thanks."

Mukuro nodded. "You looked cold is all. And I need that body to be in the healthiest of conditions when I take it."

Tsuna smiled, "Right. So…"

"So? Let's hear these secret fears, Tsunayoshi. Or…are you stalling on purpose?"

"I'm not stalling," the brunette answered. He let out another sigh. Mukuro's arms dangled from over Tsuna's shoulders as the smaller man felt a sudden weight over his back.

"You really shouldn't sigh like that, Tsunayoshi; it's not good for your mental health."

Tsuna's face reddened at the whisper. Nonetheless, he cast a sideways glare at Mukuro's smiling face. "And you would know all about my mental health, wouldn't you?"

"Kufufu…" Mukuro traced a finger from Tsuna's cheek bone and down his neck, stopping right over the brunette's heart. "Of course, Tsunayoshi. Now, let's hear those deep dark secrets of your heart."

"Well, more than losing my friends, I'm afraid of them getting hurt. And even more than that, I'm more afraid of them getting hurt because of me or for me. Before, I was afraid to fight, but now I'm more afraid of not fighting because I don't want to lose my friends and I want to protect them and the ones they care about."

Mukuro gave Tsuna a small squeeze, "That sounds very mundane and like you. How about something with a bit more potency?"

Tsuna buried his face in Mukuro's arms as he admitted more of his fears, "I'm afraid of solitude. The though of being alone without friends or even enemies really frightens me. I don't want to sit alone, stranded in darkness without even a soul to keep me company."

"Anything else?" Mukuro asked as he rested his head on Tsuna's shoulder. His fingers began fiddling with Tsuna's night-chilled hands, twining and untwining—playing his hands like a violin that sang Tsuna's deep fears.

"I'm afraid of being betrayed because that would mean I either hurt my friends to the point that I'd lose their loyalty or that we were never truly great friends in the first place."

Velvet whispered into Tsuna's ears, "And what's your deepest fear of all?" Gloved hands rested over bare palms.

Tsuna choked at the announcement, but answered the question nonetheless. His hands intertwined and closed with the ones on top of his. "I fear…_myself_…"

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_End Prologue._

_Well, this is just the prologue so far. I hope you guys feel interested in it and keep reading. ^^_

_*This story, like The Lost Ring, will be updated about once per month (hopefully around the same time if not earlier)._

_As always, I'd love to hear your guy's thoughts about it and any suggestions you have. ^^_


	2. Truth or Dare

_Sorry for the wait, everybody! ^^_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn; it belongs to Akira Amano_

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_**Truth or Dare**_

Five…..Four….Three…Two..One.

"Duck, Tenth!" Gokudera hurtled over the desk that separated him from his boss and pulled him down within the crook of his arm. They fell to the ground, Gokudera's body wrapped around Tsuna's as several bullets pierced the glass behind them. Gokudera lay protectively over the brunette as his back, arms, and legs escaped death and the barrage of bullets with only scrapes that ripped open tears in his suit.

Outside of Tsuna's office, there was a loud whistle then a clap of thunder. Smoke burst open the twin doors and dust and debris flew in. When everything seemed momentarily still and safe, Gokudera finally sat up and Tsuna let out a coughing fit.

The Storm Guardian clicked his tongue as he spat on the carpet. "It's only been about a year and a half since our younger selves defeated that maniac and since that party was held, and we're already being attacked. Don't any of these retards ever know when to quit harassing the Vongola?"

Tsuna pushed himself up so that he could see the damage that infected the office walls, floor, and ceiling. "How many opponents?"

Gokudera stood up and helped his boss to his feet. "So far, there have been approximately one-hundred foot-soldier and twenty assassins that have broken in." He loaded a belt of bullets to the barrel of the silver skull weapon that encased his arm. "As for weaponry stationed outside, we haven't been able to get a close number due to some _complications_ the machines are providing, but we've had a count of twenty. I estimate that there are at least twenty-five or thirty if they have the whole vicinity surrounded."

As he listened to the report, Tsuna pulled out a pair of mittens from his pockets and a headset labeled with the number 27 as well as a jar of pills and a pair of contacts. Then, he yanked out the top drawer of the damaged—but still standing—desk, withdrawing a small box. "Alright," he acknowledged as he popped in a pill and opened the box with the lit ring on his finger. A small, golden lion appeared on his shoulder, which watched Tsuna fixate the headset over his ear and place the contacts over his eyes. "When we leave this room, you head right and secure the area. If you find any injured on your route, have an able-bodied subordinate take him to the 'safe zone'—or in this case, the training room. You are to work your way up to and through at the least the second floor. It's your choice to go higher. If you find Ryohei, have him head to the safe zone and heal the injured as well as protect whoever is down there. If you meet Yamamoto, have him help secure the parameters with you. Understood?"

Gokudera nodded, "And you, Tenth?"

"I'll go through the left side of the first floor and instruct the other agents on what to do. Then, I'll to head to the mechanics department on the third floor and help Giannini, Spanner, and Irie evacuate. Irie's ring will help hold off any assailants, but it won't keep them out for long." The lion rubbed its cheek affectionately against Tsuna's cheek and he scratched its head. The brunette stepped forward, finishing his mental preparations for the battles ahead. "Are you ready?"

The silver-haired man stepped up to his friend and boss, giving him a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. He smiled to the shorter man, "As your right-hand man, I am prepared for this kind of combat as part of my self-imposed job requirement, Tenth."

Tsuna couldn't help but smile back, "Then what are we waiting around for?"

Gokudera's smile turned into a smirk, "Nothing."

"Alright, then…Five…"

"Four…"

"Three…"

"Two…"

"One!" They shouted simultaneously as they dashed out into the battlefield. Bullets began their deadly reign as soon as they exited the room, but Gokudera's C.A.I. blocked off the attack.

"Go on, Tenth! Those guys are waiting for you!"

Tsuna nodded as he ran from Gokudera's cover and launched into the air with the aid of the flames bursting from burning leather gloves.

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The adrenaline that had fueled the willpower of Tsuna's flames had slowly ebbed away. Sticky red blood mixed with his hair and sweat as he breathed heavily. Although he was hidden from vision for the moment, he knew it wouldn't last for long. Sooner or later, he would have to leave. If he didn't, his friends would be the sacrifice for his cowardice.

He used the last seconds of his break to think of whom to call for aid. _Hibari? No, he's off in only God knows where…And Reborn's probably off helping the other Arcobaleno finding their new Sky. Then, that would only leave…_

"Mukuro…" Tsuna whispered. Just as the name spilled from his lip, gun shots were fired towards his shelter. The brunette barely evaded the barrage as he burst into the air. Without a second's hesitation, he extended his right hand in front of him and his left in back of him with wrists flexed.

The voice in his communicator announced the initiation of the attack in his ear and announced the monitored power being stored for the output. When the voice beeped ready, he let out the flames that had built up within his hands and blast at the enemies ahead of him. After the attack had finished, he dove through the smoke of broken machines and weaponry to the other end of the 'H'-shaped building to where his comrades were imprisoned.

As he soared through the air, he pressed the communicator. "Call Mukuro," he ordered the earpiece. The voice squeaked a yes and initiated the dialing sequence. The phone rang, but there was no answer other than the voicemail, which left Tsuna with the options of hanging up or leaving a message.

A bullet embedded with Storm Attribute Flame charged towards Tsuna, scraping off a layer of skin from his abdomen. He winced, holding back the pain behind pursed lips. Then before he could charge to the culprit, he heard a familiar voice call out, "Lord Sawada, get down!"

As he did so, a blue burning boomerang cut through the sky and hit the assailant. The Vongola's Tenth stood up, looking toward the source of his aid, "Basil, I'm glad you're here. Can you help clear the rest of the floor while I get the others out of the Tech Division room?"

Basil smiled as he bowed, "It would be my honor, Lord Sawada."

Tsuna smiled back as he said, "Thanks, Basil." Then, he took off in the sky towards his friends. Basil ran in the opposing direction, jumping over fallen bodies and large debris on his way.

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Gokudera shot a wave of Thunder Attribute bullets from his gauntlet, wiping out the enemies that crowded the spacious hallways. He quickly changed the course of his moving circlet to where his comrades were. "You guys good?"

One nodded while holding an unconscious colleague. Panic was in his eyes as he gulped. "I-I'm fine, b-b-but Carlos…He was…"

The green-eyed guardian glanced down at the fallen man. A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his lips and a large collection of deep red stained a white-shirted torso. "Can you walk?"

He quickly nodded, opening his mouth to utter more sound, but Gokudera stopped him.

"You don't need to explain anything. Now just listen," he waited until the man was focused. "Take Carlos with you to the training room. There should be a first-aid kit in the room. Use that to treat Carlos. If you find Sasagawa, then have him go with you to the training room so he can help with Carlos's wound. Afterwards, search this floor for others that are injured. Right now, we can't afford to mourn the dead, but take anyone who's still breathing with you. Tell anybody else that can move to help you. Understood?"

"U-Understood, sir—B-Behind you!"

Gokudera swiveled around, loading in a bullet as he did so, but before he could shoot, the robot was no longer there. Smoking and sizzling metal shrapnel sunk to the floor while split wires crackled between broken spasms of electricity. "You should be more careful, Hayato."

The Storm Guardian scoffed as he stared at the smoke-covered newcomer, "I got all of my targets already. It's because you had to chase yours all the way over here that I was almost killed. Don't try and make me out to be the idiot around here, Takeshi."

The swordsman laughed, "Can't fool you, right Hayato?"

Gokudera clicked his tongue, "Whatever…" He turned his head back to see the subordinate was still glued to the same spot. "You…"

The man sighed in relief at seeing Gokudera's eyes. He smiled up at the standing man, "That was close, wasn't it sir—"

"Stop wasting time here and get going!" Gokudera snapped. Yamamoto watched and couldn't help but smile at hearing the command.

Their comrade, on the other hand, felt a shiver crawl down his spine as he shot to his feet with his unconscious friend on his back. "A-Aye, sir!" he shouted as he began running for the training room. Gokudera watched for another moment before letting out his own sigh.

"I truly admire Tenth for being able to handle these kinds of people…"

Yamamoto laughed, "Hey, hey, don't blame him. Office workers aren't normally thrust into a chaotic battle, now are they?"

Gokudera cast a sideways glare at the Rain Guardian. "Speaking of chaotic battles, shouldn't you get back to fighting?"

"Very well, as you wish, Your Majesty." Yamamoto smiled as he bowed playfully. As he ducked down, Gokudera's double-layered bullet skid over the swordsman and hit an enemy foot soldier. Yamamoto looked over his lowered shoulder at the fallen man and the pistol he held.

"Now who needs to be more careful?"

Yamamoto looked back up at Gokudera with a sheepish grin, "My bad!"

Gokudera smirked as he reloaded his weapon, "Whatever, idiot. Now help me clear out this floor."

Yamamoto stood up straight as he released Jiro and Kojiro. The dog transformed into three short blades while the swallow transformed into a long blade. "Is Hayato actually asking for assistance?" he smiled, as he arranged his weapons in his hands.

The Storm Guardian clicked his tongue, "As if, idiot. It's the Tenth's orders, of course."

The Rain Guardian smiled, "Either way, I'll be happy to oblige."

* * *

"Irie! Spanner! Giannini! Open up! It's me!" Tsuna banged on the Sun Attribute infused door. Instantly the yellow flame shimmered away and the wooden door opened, revealing the three main members of Vongola's Tech Division.

The door instantly shut behind the brunette and began to glow a bright golden yellow again. The redhead pulled Tsuna deeper into the room and to the monitor. "Right now, the points of entry have been the center windows of each wing and segment of the building," Irie quickly informed as the blond mechanic brought up a diagram of the headquarters on the monitor of the small, dark room.

"And so far, we've deducted that the safest possible escape route for everyone is the secret, underground passage way," the blond added as he zoomed in on the diagram's exit.

Tsuna studied the diagram on the screen carefully. His eyebrows furrowed in concern, "But the passage is on the west wing of the building."

"What's wrong with that?" Spanner asked, looking up at the brunette.

"The 'safe zone' where everyone is gathering is in the east wing of the building; the training room, to be exact. Most of them will be injured, so it'll be difficult to transport all of them without getting caught."

"Well, Mr. Sawada, we were calculating a Mist Attribute user's help. Isn't Miss Dokuro or Mr. Rokudou here?" Irie asked.

Tsuna averted his amber eyes in a mixture of pain and worry. "Neither are," he answered.

"Maybe you could call them?" Giannini suggested.

"Mukuro didn't pick up," Tsuna admitted as his heart clenched at the idea of abandonment. His orange flame began to whither.

The plump mechanic smiled warmly as he patted Tsuna's shoulder. "He may have been busy. Perhaps you should try again? Or maybe call Miss Dokuro?"

Tsuna's worry softened at the sight of the Tech Division's hurt faces as well as his pet lion's soft rub on the cheek, and he smiled as his flame gradually brightened. "Yeah, I'll do that then."

_Bam!_

The four turned their head to the door. Outside, the sound of a man barking at another broke through the flame-embedded wood in a muffled tone. Irie turned back to Tsuna, "You'd better hurry with that call, Mr. Sawada!"

Tsuna nodded as he voiced the command into his communicator. "Call Chrome," he ordered. The phone rang once before it was answered by the Mist Guardian's soft voice.

"Chrome, I need you to come back to headquarters right away," Tsuna announced, keeping his head level even as the noise outside the room became louder and heavier. His facial expression morphed into a small smile, "T-That's great, Chrome! Thanks! I'll see you s—Chrome? Chrome?"

Irie, Spanner, and Giannini exchanged confused glances before returning their focus to Tsuna.

"M-Mukuro! What are you doing? …What do you mean she can't come? …What are you talking about? We need her help! …Stop being unreasonable! ...Mukuro? Mukuro! Don't you dare hang up on me! Not now of all times—"

Instead of the older man's suave voice, he heard the tone of a deadline. Tsuna's eye shut tightly and folds molded on the surface of his once smooth face as he slammed a fist into the wall. His heart twisted, making his chest wrought with pain. "He hung up on me!"

As Tsuna yelled, a gap was made in the door by an axe infused with red flames. Tsuna's eyes shot open with anger, shock, and horror. "Irie! Spanner! Giannini! Get behind me!" Tsuna ordered as the lion perched on his shoulder transformed into a mantle. The trio ran behind the lean man, who covered his friends with the dark cloak.

The door to the room broke apart into pieces and several flaming bullets were shot at the black veil, only to be deflected. When the barrage ended, Tsuna flew at the adversaries ahead of him and tackled them out of the room and into the hallway. He landed on his feet, a ways off from the fallen foot soldiers. The pair of enemies closest to him rose to their feet feebly but charged at him with their axes, nonetheless, screaming as they came.

Tsuna watched both as if they were moving in slow motion. The heavy weapons swung and before the ends sliced him, he surged into the air, flipping over the duo. When he landed, he grabbed the soldier's shoulders and ice escaped the palm of his glove and encased the men. "You guys go ahead and tell the others about the plan!" Tsuna yelled to his friends that stood at the doorway. "I'll continue fighting until everyone's out safely!"

"Understood!" Giannini saluted as he dragged the younger two with him towards the staircase.

Tsuna stretched out his arms, wrists flexed. One arm was aimed towards the pile of soldiers in front of him. "I'm going to stop you guys here and now before you hurt anymore of my friends," he growled as hot flames built up inside his body. A voice sounded in his ear and he released orange light from both of his palms. Where there was once a pile of enemies was the scenery of green Italian hills.

* * *

The sun had finally set and died the sky in a wash of orange that was lifted by a blue mountain range and tall green pines. The trees gave a sense of cover for men injured in a fight that had happened only moments ago and left them without a home.

"Roll call!" a grey-haired man yelled into the crowd of gathered subordinates and comrades. "When I call your name, answer appropriately. If there's someone here that can't speak and they are next to you, answer for them!"

Ten feet away from the Sun Guardian, the Family's leader sat isolated, exhausted, and heart-stricken. The painful memories of the day took root as the sores, cuts, bruises, and many other forms of wounds that were carved into the lone man's pale flesh. Eyelids covered amber eyes and sent the nightmare of reality surging through his brain, replaying in his mind's theater.

_Gokudera's voice resonated in his ear, confirming the end of his mission and begging for the leader to evacuate with the others. Several pairs of hands pulled at the man, taking him away from his home, the home of his comrades and colleagues and friends._

A light warmth touched a sore spot on Tsuna's bare shoulder. "Tenth…"

The brunette barely made an effort to look back at his silver-haired subordinate or reply. "What is it?" he asked. His voice was raspy from yelling.

_A friend's skull was crushed in front of his eyes as he was dragged away._

"I'm sorry I forced you to come with us, but we already did all that we could," Gokudera apologized.

_A comrade's fell face forward from a gunshot to his heart. The last expression was fear._

"It wasn't all we could do," Tsuna mumbled as more deaths plagued his mind.

Gokudera's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Tenth?"

"I said it wasn't all we could do!" Tsuna yelled as tears rolled down his cheeks. The sound of the roll call in the distance came to a halt and the brunette could feel the eyes of the ones he could save hit his back. His sob came silently and he rose to his feet, grabbing the mittens and pill case that rested on the stone in front of him. Then he sprinted away from the makeshift camp.

"Tsuna!" Gokudera cried as he took a running step toward his friend. A firm grip stopped him by the shoulder. Stormy green looked up into toffee pools. "Let go of me, Takeshi…" he growled.

Yamamoto shook his head. "We already forced him to do something that'll be on his conscience for too long. Let him go for now."

Gokudera clicked his tongue, "Don't you care about Tsuna at all?"

"I do, and that's why we have to let him have his alone time. Remember what Irie said happened in the Tech Division room?"

"Yeah," Gokudera grumbled as he shrugged his shoulder away from Yamamoto's hand. "I do. I knew that guy was no good from the start. He's only associated with us for self-profit…"

Yamamoto smiled gently. "You never trusted him at all, that's why it doesn't hurt for you. But Tsuna is different. He—"

"I know! I know!" Gokudera snapped, "I'm not an idiot, Takeshi! I already know that Ts-Tenth trusted that guy even after what he did to everybody! And…and…that his trust in that guy is what's making him feel so betrayed…But that's the truth of things…For that guy, the Vongola is only a toy and puppet for him."

"That might be what it is for him. But for Tsuna it's different. He was willing to bet his life and his comrade's lives that Mukuro's ulterior motives disappeared. It was a big bet, but he had the confidence deep down that he would end up on top of the bet."

"But he lost…And that trust he had was smashed into millions of shards and pieces. He bet it all, and lost it all. That guy took the 'dare' that Tenth had lay out in front of him, and all that was left was for Tenth to feel the bitter taste of betrayal…"

* * *

_End Truth or Dare_

_My intention was to work on this more and submit it earlier, but…alas…I didn't…In my defense, I could say I was busy!_

…_But, I was being lazy. =3=;_

_Anyways, thanks for all the lovely reviews, everyone! Next update either next month or earlier! ^^_

_Reviews always loved and welcomed!_


	3. Truth or Lies

_Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyou Hitman Reborn. All rights reserved for Akira Amano._

_

* * *

_

_**Truth or Lies**_

A woman ran through the empty, lifeless hallways, towards a pair of double doors, one of the only operational slabs remaining in her home. As she approached the wood, she came to an abrupt halt, asking with two short knocks on the door with the back of her hand.

Muffled by the slab, a suave voice answered, "Come in."

The door creaked slowly open just so that the woman's meek voice could be heard and her eye-patched profile could be seen. "Master Mukuro…"

There was a soft barely audible chuckle, "Don't be afraid to come inside the room, Chrome."

The woman's pale white skin was colored by a soft red pastel, blending perfectly into her complexion. "O-Of course, sir." She slowly pushed the door open enough for her to squeeze through. Her violet eye glanced over at her master, who sat in a gold-bordered, red velvet-lined armchair. His deep crimson silk robe loosely covered his otherwise bare body. Then, she stole a glance at his bed where two bodies lay in a peaceful sleep, covered with translucent sweat.

"They're asleep now, so we can talk," Mukuro smiled, sensing his subordinate's discomfort. He gestured to the sofa near his armchair with his spindly fingers. "Please take a seat, Chrome."

Chrome turned her attention back to the seated man. She shook her head lightly to her master's surprise. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "But after this, I have to report my mission to Boss."

Discontent shadowed Mukuro's face and weighted his lips. "I see. Then, what's wrong?"

"Well," she averted her gaze to the floor, "recently, there have been reports of a new Family in the mafia world."

Mukuro's eyes closed. "So, another addition has been added to what I must destroy in the disgusting mafia world? Tell me what you know about this Family."

"They are called the Fenice Family," Chrome answered as a manila folder formed in her hands. She walked over to Mukuro's side and handed him the report. "Recently, their activities have revolved around trading and dealings with small or weak families. It has also been revealed that the Fenice have been in contact with the Italian police force and other security groups."

A small smile graced Mukuro's lips. "Is that so?" Deft hands pulled out the bowels of the manila file and skimmed the first few page before stopping at the first profile listed in the book. "This is their boss, I presume?"

Chrome glanced down at the picture, "Yes. Their boss's name is Cenere Fenice; 29 years-old and born in Italy. Background information other than these two facts was hidden, so I could not get anymore. Because the knowledge of Cenere Fenice is limited, the age and birthplace may have been falsified."

"Kufufu…Then perhaps I should pay the Fenice a visit…"

Chrome opened her mouth, but instead of her voice falling after her master's, the fragile double doors slammed open and fell to the floor. As they did, several soldiers, enwrapped in metal and armed with weapons, most of which, consisted of guns.

A woman stepped in after a perimeter of metal-clad men had been set up around Chrome and Mukuro. "That won't be necessary, Mr. Rokudou."

Before another word was uttered, a pillar of fire rose from the floor in front of the intruder.

The woman closed her eyes, feeling the heat that burned the air around her. She put her arm up in front of her. "This petty illusion and your trick won't work on me so easily," she announced as she opened her eyes. The flaming vortex instantly dissipated and her arm blocked an incoming swipe of Chrome's trident.

Chrome's eye widened at her adversary's action. While Chrome was stunned, the woman withdrew a gun concealed in her sleeve, aiming it at the violet-haired Guardian. But, before the trigger could be pulled and a bloody mess could be made, Mukuro grabbed the gun's barrel and pointed it upwards. In his free arm, he held Chrome close to him and far from the gun-wielder.

Mukuro stared at the woman with mismatched orbs. "I would appreciate it if you didn't kill my precious Chrome. Miss Cenere Fenice, correct?"

Her seemingly glowing sea-green eyes met his gaze and held it, even as she withdrew her gun back into its hiding spot. "My apologies, I was only acting according to my right of self-defense."

The tall man smiled, "Is that right? Well then, Cenere, for what reason have you barged into my humble abode?"

"I'm here to make a deal," she answered as she straightened out her navy blue suit. "And please don't say my name like we've known each other for so long. I'd prefer it if you called me Miss Feniche."

"I refer to people by the names I will remember them by. So, what do you want from a criminal like me?"

"Well, I heard of your goal to destroy the mafia world and I would like to offer my assistance if you could help me accomplish my goal."

Mukuro's hands slipped away from Chrome and he sat back down in his armchair. "Go on." She turned towards her master, staring half in disbelief and half in a forced compliance.

"There is something that I want from—"

_Ring! Ring!_

The three turned their attention to the cell phone on the coffee table in front of Mukuro's feet. He reached over and grabbed the electronic device, flipping it open to check the caller ID. After reading the name, he hit the 'End Call' button without hesitation. "As you were saying?"

Rather than reply, Cenere kept her gaze transfixed on the phone.

Mukuro looked at the phone in his palm then to the Fenice woman and let out a cackle, "Kuhahaha! You don't trust me?"

He received no response, but that did not destroy the smile that had plastered itself on his face. "Alright, then allow me to diminish the obstacle that stands in the way…" Then, with his bare hand, he crushed the handheld phone into millions of pieces, letting the scraps of metal and software fall to the floor.

"Now then, shall we continue this meeting?" Mukuro asked as he leaned back into his chair.

* * *

"I can't believe we lost to that weird woman," Ken groaned. "And to make matters worse, Master Mukuro is now talking to her like it's completely normal."

"Just ignore her, Ken. She's nobody we need to worry about unless she harms Master Mukuro of course," Chikusa noted, performing tricks with his yo-yo.

He clicked his tongue in disgust, spitting onto the walk-way in front of their home. "I still don't like it. It's bad enough that Chrome's the only one there to protect him if something goes wrong. What's she going to do if all those infantrymen attack at once? There's no way that an illusion will be able to keep her safe and unharmed," he grumbled.

Chikusa caught his yo-yo in his hand, the string wound tight around the center as if it had never been used. "So, other than Master Mukuro, you're also angry because Chrome is there, too?"

There was a short silence between the two as Ken yelled with a red face. "I didn't say I was worried about her!"

"Neither did I," Chikusa responded calmly as he began to unwind his yo-yo in more intricate patterns.

The blond man quickly set in a set of fake teeth into his mouth and cut the string of the yo-yo before walking away from his companion and the building. "I'm going to do a little hunting."

"Leave your cell phone on," Chikusa called after him as dropped the ruined yo-yo onto the floor. He crushed the plastic under his foot and stuffed his hands into his pockets as he turned for the mansion. Then, he pulled out another yo-yo and began to distract himself with practice once more.

* * *

"So _that's_ the reason why you barged into my abode? Kufufu…well, I guess we can come to some form of agreement. That is, if _you_ are willing to abide to my rules and terms of condition," Mukuro smiled.

The woman exhaled deeply from her nose, staring at the odd illusionist with calm eyes. "I believe that you are in no position to be forcing me to follow _your_ rules," she stated, unmoving.

Mukuro glanced around at the infantrymen then to his aid, who was standing silently next to her master. "Well, normally that would be the case, but from what I've heard, you must be desperate to be asking for my assistance. And, if I'm going to risk my life and the trust I've so carefully constructed to help you, then I'll need some consolation that I won't leave this deal empty handed."

"Very well then, what are your terms, Mr. Rokudou?"

"First, which I think is most obvious, there is to be no word of this to anyone. I don't want anybody to know that I had to affiliate myself with the filthy mafia like this to reach my goal. Second, I demand that I receive the top five of your family—other than you, of course—to be my aids in this program. All reports of what I'm doing will be sent to you via mail or from your subordinates. Third, I require that when we make the final exchange that we meet in person."

The Feniche Boss tucked a falling lock of hair behind her ear. "Alright then, Mr. Rokudou, you have yourself a deal." She extended her arm for a shake.

Mukuro rose, only to kneel in front of her. He took her hand in his and kissed the knuckle. "Let us get along well for the duration of this program," he smiled as he stood tall once again.

The woman gave a curt nod before turning around. As she left, her soldiers followed her and the doors to the room were lifted back into the frame and closed.

Without turning, Mukuro could feel his back being bore by a confused glare. "Is something wrong, my precious Chrome?"

"Why would you agree to working with her, Master Mukuro? I know that you want to take revenge and I do want to help you achieve you goal, but what about Boss?"

"What about him?"

"You're important to me, but so is he. So, why would you agree to betray him so easily and so quickly?"

Mukuro chuckled, walking back to the shorter woman. He wiped the hair from Chrome's face so that he could see her eyes clearly with a soft smile that reflected sinister mischievousness and hinted at hidden pain.

Chrome's eye widened with surprise, "M-Master Mukuro…"

_Ring! Ring!_

The alarm from her phone distracted her from the man in front of her. She slipped her phone out of a pocket and read the name on the cover. "Excuse me for a moment, sir," she bowed as she headed towards the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

"Yes, Boss?" she answered into the receiver. In the background, she could hear a small amount of static and the sound of heavy artillery shooting and bombs exploding. "Is something wrong?" She waited as she listened to what her boss had to say to her patiently. "I've just finished reporting to Master Mukuro, so I'll be there right away, Boss. Just give me some time to—"

She stopped as the door creaked open and her master cornered her between his arms. Before she realized it, she could no longer speak, her breath taken away from her body as she felt her knees tremble from beneath her. Then as quickly as the suffocation had started, it ended and her phone was now in the hands of her master. "M-Master Mukuro…" she gasped, eyebrows knit in confusion and self-disappointment for being so easily distracted.

"Kufufu, hello Sawada Tsunayoshi," he smiled into the phone. "I'm sorry, but a problem has arisen and Chrome won't be able to attend to you…I apologize for the inconvenience and hope you'll forgive her. Good-bye." The protesting brunette was cut short as Mukuro clasped the phone back into its folded position. He tossed the phone aside as he returned to his blushing aid. "Now, where were we?"

* * *

_End Truth or Lies_

_Sorry it's a little short, but it wasn't supposed to very long in the first place._

_This is supposed to be what happened with Mukuro during the invasion on Tsuna's mansion. And, the villain…Yeah, the Feniche…um, well, what can I say about them? Well, they're the fictional family I made up for the story and I hope you enjoy/hate them as much as you'd like._

_Oh, a little translation for the Italian used:_

_Feniche-Phoenix_

_Cenere-Ash_

_This will be a bit important with the story, but yeah.._

_Any confusion, feel free to PM/note me or write a review._

_Thanks for reading! X3_

_And, see you guys in a month or so? ^^;_


	4. Betrayal or Aid

_Hey y'all! Sorry for the lack of update; I couldn't decide how I wanted to phrase this. Plus, I didn't realize I had already finished this chapter but hadn't posted it. [Ahaha, school is taking up too much of my life…]_

_Anyway, in case you guys haven't noticed, the story is going on hiatus until I can get more time to put into making this a well-organized story. [I'll probably be able to write this more seriously by January or February 2012.]_

_I__'__ll __probably__ be __able __to__ seriously __get __time __to__ continue__ this __once __I __finish_ The Lost Ring_.__X3_

_[As a side note, I think the Arcobaleno Arc will be one of my most favorites from Amano; still slightly predictable but I think—and hope—this arc will turn out better than how the TYL Arc ended. The TYL Arc ending was a bit disappointing. And I absolutely abhorred—and still do—the Shimon Arc. It felt like it was a random tangent, like Longchamp, and it just wasn't very satisfying. The Vongola Gear especially pisses me off. I swear, Tsuna & Co. BARELY had Primo's version of the Vongola rings before they were changed from rings into all sorts of accessories. It just pisses me off. The rings were what made everyone so cool and they made sense! I mean, how can Hibari stand going around Namimori wearing a frigging BRACELET? And, in all honesty, I forgot about the Shimon Arc's occurrence at the beginning of this rant. (But then I felt: "Wait! Something's missing! Wasn't there something between the TYL and Arcobaleno Arc?"). I think Amano could have done something different to show the history of the Vongola; like a real flashback to Primo's time! That would be amazing to see without the all "Wait a minute, there was no betrayal!" quips from everybody.]_

_Anyway, sorry about that: onto the story! :D_

_Disclaimer: I don't own KHR; all rights to Akira Amano! I only own the antagonists and the myriad of extras I create per fanfiction/chapter._

* * *

_**Betrayal or Aid**_

Tsuna's legs had begun to feel like jelly underneath him. He hadn't been training properly due to his comatose state when his younger self came to the future. The battle that had taken place to defend his home was a disaster, and his exhaustion was catching up to him.

The ground beneath him began to melt, and his feet sunk into the liquidized earth. It grabbed at him, enveloping him in dark dirt. His eyelids blocked his vision as he felt suffocation tighten around his body.

"Boss!"

He heard his Mist Guardian's voice ring out to him, like a soothing bell. "Boss! Can you hear me?"

With a gasp, Tsuna opened his amber eyes to a dark void. He lay floating in the darkness in a white dress shirt and black slacks. "Chrome?" he called out, swaying his mob of brunette hair side to side. "Chrome! Are you there?"

"Boss!" she cried out, this time, the bells had turned into an alert—a cry for help.

Tsuna reached for the gloves in his pockets but found none. He clicked his tongue as he began drifting through the starless night. "Chrome!" he called out, searching for her. In the distance he spied a shining metallic prong. _Her__ trident!_

The brunette rushed over to the bit of weapon. He reached out for it, pricking his finger by incidence. His pale hand withdrew as he inspected the bead of blood that formed on top of his skin. When nothing extraordinarily peculiar occurred, he reached for the trident again, wrapping his whole hand around the piece.

In an instance, he felt a warmth surge through him, worming its way into his heart. From there, it resonated, sending his nerves spiraling into a light pain, followed by numbness. His eyes squeezed shut, letting no light or darkness in and letting none of the pain he withheld out.

When the pain and numbness had subsided, he slowly opened his eyes. Light burned his retina as amber processed its new surroundings. A soft nostalgic wind blew over him as he heavily breathed in the scent of fresh dew and meadow grass. His feet were bare, and he just felt relaxed. He had almost forgotten the battle that had taken only moments ago.

"Boss," Chrome's voice resonated within Tsuna's mind. He did a full turn, looking for her. His eyes stopped searching when he had found her, standing a distance off. The brunette rushed over to her without hesitation.

"Is everything alright, Chrome?" he asked as he reached the shorter woman.

She looked up at him and tears began to stream from her eyes as she went onto her knees. "Boss…I-I'm sorry!"

Tsuna sank to a kneel in front of her, wrapping his arms around her. His thumbs massaged her shoulders in a circular movement as if he were trying to rub the pain and sorrow from her body. "It's fine, Chrome. I don't blame you. Just tell me one thing."

"Yes, Boss?"

Tsuna's rotating thumbs stopped moving and he allowed enough space between himself and Chrome so that he could see her face. "What happened after I called you? Did you get hurt? Did something attack you and Mukuro, too?"

Guilt replaced the sorrow she felt. "Well, this one—" She stopped as a sudden pain jolted through her body. Her sentence was cut by a sharp gasp and he skin visibly whitened. The Mist Guardian's body convulsed as it curled on the ground, which had slowly turned from lush green to autumn brown.

"C-Chrome!" Tsuna leaned forward to tend to the girl, but she ordered him to stay back.

"B-Boss. I don't have much time left to talk to you. F-For now, the only thing I can tell you is where to start your search with. The family that attacked you is the Fenice Family, whose boss goes by the name of 'Cenere'. She is 5'9", has scarlet hair, and has grey eyes. She also—" Chrome stopped, another rolling pain shot down her spine. "I'm sorry, Boss…Please don't—"

The grass had turned into crunchy, fragile straw that blew away with a rough wind. Tsuna shielded his face from the injurious, dead plant with his arms. After a few moments, the wind had stopped and Tsuna lowered his guard. Where Chrome had once been, was a spot devoid of her presence. The landscape, which had once been a grassy meadow, transformed into a large crystalline lake with a forested island at its center. There was no sky above Tsuna anymore; just the sharp ceiling of a cave far above his head, crafted as a dome. At the midpoint of the dome was a hole, as large as the island in the center of the lake, which gave way to a sky as dark and crisp as black obsidian.

Tsuna looked down at his feet as his toes fidgeted over the wet gravel that made the shore of the lake. He looked forward at the island then down at the water, staring straight into his own reflection in the glowing pool. Without telling his body to do so, his feet moved closer to the water's edge. He set one foot atop the water's surface, sending ripples that disturbed the water's serene stillness and sent a shiver through his body. Tsuna took another step, watching as his feet guided him to the center of the lake, not falling into the water's depths even as he made his way forward.

When he met the small island, his wet feet mixed with the loose soil, coating the bare skin with a thin sock. Tsuna looked back at the shore, which was now further than it had been when he first started his trek. He swung his head forward towards the forest and—this time—pushed his own body into the wooded darkness.

Tsuna ignored the looming trees as he continued to trek in the dark, only stopping when his feet met mud and he began to sink. He struggled, desperately trying to pull his legs out of the mud, but it ended in futility. In a few more moments of struggling, he was engulfed by the brown liquid earth.

His eyes opened again to a new location. Around him, he could barely make out the shadows and the rigid silhouettes of the cavern walls around him. Above him was a hole. Similar to the larger cave, it allowed light to filter into the space. But, the new place he was in was different—it was a pit. Outside of his stone prison, he could hear the washing of waves against rocks and salt water leaked in from the hole above him, slowly filling the bottom of the cave—chilling his bare feet.

"Kufufu, I'm sorry I had to cut your meeting short, Tsunayoshi. I needed Chrome to attend to another matter."

Tsuna turned around, searching the small basin for the suave voice that had abandoned him. "Mukuro? Where are you?"

"Right here, Tsunayoshi," he whispered into the brunette's ear. Black fingers crept toward the shorter man's sides, but before they could do more than just touch the clothed skin, it left the slim digits.

"Mukuro, why did you just leave us alone during the invasion? Why did you stop Chrome from coming to help us? Why did you—"

There was a splash as the tall man's foot landed in the growing puddle. Tsuna backed away from the approaching illusionist until his back hit the rigid rock wall. Arms cornered him against the cold slabs. "Why is it that you are saying 'us'? Don't you mean to be talking solely about yourself? From what I recall, you're the only one that needed me there when you could have at least attempted to call Kyouya."

"I meant what I said," Tsuna mumbled, "And I had no idea where he was at all. I knew that you were nearby. You could have come to help us but you didn't. Instead, you ignored my calls and even forced Chrome to ignore my orders as well. You're my Mist Guardian. When you aren't preoccupied, you should—"

"I should do what exactly, Tsunayoshi? I am not your Mist Guardian, no matter how many times you say it aloud, and I am not your baby-sitter. So why should I be going out of my way to help you, who is in the mafia that I despise with my whole being?"

Tsuna averted his amber eyes. "Because…"

"Because what?"

"I needed you there so that I knew you were okay. You already know that I'm afraid of losing my friends and my friends getting hurt. So, I don't understand why you would try to act calm when there was definitely something wrong on your side."

Mukuro's expression blanked for a second before his lips curled into a smile. "What do you mean by that, Tsunayoshi? I believe I've said before that we are in no way friends. We are only people that know each other, and to me, you are something I only wish to possess in order to exact my vengeance on the mafia world."

"Even if you don't admit it, you're still my friend," Tsuna answered. His gaze was pointed towards his toes.

Salt water rained into the cave, causing large ripples to form, hitting the walls like small waves.

The older man lifted Tsuna's head by the chin. Mismatched eyes met pools of golden orange only centimeters apart from one another. "It brings me many mixed feelings to hear you give me the title of merely a 'friend'."

"Then what do you _want_ me to call you?" Tsuna asked as he pushed Mukuro away from him before he could be entranced by red and blue. "You're not an enemy to me, you know that. So, what do you want me to call you?"

Mukuro waded through the now knee-high water towards Tsuna. A deposit of salty rain poured onto him as he continued to make his way through the cold liquid. He stopped only inches away from Tsuna. His gloved hands caressed Tsuna's cheek with a frigid feel but a gentle touch. "Tsunayoshi…"

Tsuna felt his cheeks grow hot. "D-Don't avoid the question, Mukuro," Tsuna stuttered, "You're the one who brought this kind of thing up in the first place, so answer me."

The man smiled as he cleared away the hair from Tsuna's forehead and pressed his lips gently against the pale skin. "Kufufu, don't be so nervous, Tsunayoshi. You're the boss of one of the most powerful organizations of the Underworld. Rather than question everything, make orders."

The brunette felt the space between them get smaller and smaller as the older man's closeness made him feel like he was about to suffocate. Tsuna shut his amber orbs tightly, avoiding eye contact with Mukuro's. "Then, I order you to be my friend and to never leave my side!"

Mukuro smiled as he pulled away. He extended a hand between the two, closing it into a fist. When he opened it, a shining platinum ring lay in the center of his palm. Engraved on the outside of the ring was a twisted vine, leading to a small circular topaz that fit the edges of the band. On the inside of the metal accessory was the word '_impegno_'. Mukuro slipped the sleek circlet onto Tsuna's right hand next to his box ring; then he kissed the glittering jewel. "Let this be the proof of our contract," Mukuro whispered, his lips hovering above the ring.

Tsuna felt a strange surge flow through him, filling his body with confidence and power. "Mukuro…"

The sky above them began to flicker into day as the water level had reached just below Tsuna's chin. Mukuro glanced up at the sun then back into Tsuna's amber eyes. "It's almost time for you to go, my little Tsunayoshi." The taller man began to pull away as the daylight slowly began to settle.

_Not__ again! _Tsuna rushed towards Mukuro, tripping on the hidden rocks and into the water. He instantly brought his sopping head back up to the surface, meeting Mukuro face-to-face.

Mukuro smiled mischievously, "Kufufu, you're still quite clumsy, aren't you, Tsunayoshi?" He leaned forward, his cold lips softly brushing against Tsuna's cheek. "It's time to wake up now…"

* * *

With just a blink, Tsuna was wide awake. He looked up at the sky, which was transitioning from night to dawn. The brunette sat up and scanned his surroundings, spotting his comrades on the forest floor around him. A soft smile of relief crept onto his face as he noted that all of them were safe and still there.

Without his knowing, his left hand had begun fiddling with the metal bands on his fingers. Almost immediately, Tsuna stopped with eyes wide and looked down at his right hand. The ring Mukuro had left on him in the dream covered a small portion of flesh on his finger. "But that's…" Tsuna breathed.

"Good morning, Tenth!" Gokudera yelled enthusiastically as he approached the camp; one hand waved while the other held a basket—hand-woven by Gokudera—full of wild berries. The brunette instantly hid the hand bearing the new ring under the jacket that lay over his lap.

He felt a bead of cold sweat slide down his skin, the first that signaled the coming of more. "Good morning, Gokudera," Tsuna smiled. "Is that breakfast?"

Gokudera nodded, "Yeah, just picked these a few minutes ago with—"

"Hayato! Didn't I say to wait for me?" Yamamoto asked as he came running back to camp. His tattered shirt was bundled up under an arm, and his leather belt was missing.

"Stupid Takeshi," Gokudera grumbled; his eyebrows scrunched together, and a pout formed on his face. "You should know by now how important the Tenth's health is. I can't wait for you when he needs my help."

A small menacing glare, that only lasted a few seconds, flickered in Yamamoto's eyes as he looked at his colleague. "I understand," he smiled widely, "Sorry for pulling you down. While you're with Tsuna, I'll just go check on everyone else." He waved backwards as he left the two. "See you guys later."

Tsuna watched Yamamoto leave worriedly. "Gokudera, I think you made Yamamoto upset," he whispered.

"What? Why would he be upset? You're our boss! Of course you come first before anything!" Gokudera argued.

The brunette smiled softly at his Storm Guardian. "I may be the boss. You guys may be my subordinates or comrades. But, we're not just connected through the mafia. We're all friends. Just because I'm the Vongola's boss doesn't put me in a higher position when I'm with you guys. You remember, right? When your younger self came to the future, he had the same problem as when he and the younger Yamamoto fought Gamma." Tsuna patted Gokudera's shoulder as he stood up. "You need to realize that I'm not the only important person here."

The sky was dyed with the colors of sunrise and life began to shift in the forest. Tsuna looked at the trees and his resting Family.

"Tenth, I—"

Tsuna turned back to Gokudera with a smile. "It's fine, but I'm not the one you need to apologize to." He glanced over at his Rain Guardian, who was still forcing his old smile to appear as he chatted with other early risers. "I'm going to go on a walk for a while. Take care of everyone until I get back."

"Yes, sir!" Gokudera bowed as Tsuna left the clearing.

* * *

Tsuna lifted his arm up into the air, looking at his new ring through the gaps of light in the forest. "I don't understand this…Mukuro…" He formed a fist with his raised hand and let the limb fall limply to his side.

The brunette wandered aimlessly, deeper into the woods. His surroundings were familiar to him, as he had profusely practiced among the trees during his adolescent days. Once again, without realizing, his feet guided him on their own. This time, the pair stopped at the edge of a small spring that lay hidden among branches, trunks, and leaves.

The spring was Tsuna's quiet place where he could relax, contemplate, meditate. The waters were lucid, revealing the smoothed stones that composed a natural tub for the refreshing liquid. Tsuna stood at the edge—reminded briefly of his dream through short flashes—before finally deciding to rest inside it.

Although the forest was cool, caused by the trees' shade, the brightening sky signaled a day of humid weather.

Tsuna stripped off all his clothes deftly. When every article of clothing was off, he entered the warm waters. His scrapes stung, but after the first, short, painful first moments, relief followed. He absorbed the water's regenerative properties, letting his aching body dilute the pain into the water, which would then evaporate and leave the waters clean and clear again.

The young boss looked up at the blue sky then let his lids fall over his eyes. However, he did not let sleep come to him in fear of a nightmare. A brief flash of a tall man's mysterious smile and an echo of an insane laugh cut his brief rest short. His eyes shot open, but only met the broad space above him again. Topaz orbs flitted to his right hand, which began to sparkle in the oncoming light.

Tsuna sat up, bringing his hand up to his face. He surrounded the tangled band on his finger—tempted to take off the band. But his temptation receded as quickly as it had arrived and he let the hand drop into the water. He settled into the water again, unwinding once more.

_Snap._

The brunette sat up in immediately. His muscles tensed and his ears strained to listen for movement. _It__'__s__ from__ behind __me__…_

Tsuna turned to the direction of the disturbance with an orange flame lighted over his forehead. But when he faced the disrupter, his fire was extinguished. "Chrome…why are you here?" He searched the woman's face for a clue or a hint for his hyper intuition to pick up on. His eyes stopped when he found blood on her blouse. "And what happened?"

"Boss…" Chrome panted. Tsuna stood up to help her, but was stopped at the gesture of his Mist Guardian's hand. She shook her head breathlessly. "Boss…something has happened to Master…"

Tsuna's face lost a shade of color, but he maintained composure for the most part. Now wasn't the time to panic. "What happened?"

Chrome grew noticeably paler, beads of cold sweat glistened on her skin. She trembled as her vision grew hazy. "F-Fenice…" With the last breath of the name, she collapsed.

* * *

"Gokudera, I want you to find out all you can about the Fenice Family."

"Understood, Tenth. I'll start right away." The Storm Guardian left his leader's side, heading for the door of the private hospital room. The Rain Guardian glanced at the former from the corner of his eye.

"Yamamoto."

"Yes?" the tall man returned his attention to the hunched figure at the bedside of the patient.

"Please locate Hibari and bring him here. Use whatever method you need to in order to bring him here. Be careful."

His guardian closed his eyes. "Understood," he answered. As he left, he looked at his childhood friend's depressing shape. "Don't beat yourself up about it, okay?"

The door was shut and Tsuna was left alone with his Mist Guardian—the only noise resonating around the room was the heart monitor.

Tsuna stared lifelessly and yet contemplatively at his fallen friend and comrade. _What__'__s__ happening? __Another __invasion?__ So __soon?_ He looked down at his feet; his head was supported at the center of his forehead by his interlocked fingers.

* * *

_Translation:  
Impegno_—commitment, engagement, obligation, pledge, promise, appointment, diligence bond, date

_Thanks for reading, everybody!_

_And I'm sorry about the hiatus. I don't want to, but I just need more time! D:_

_Reviews are always welcome though. :]_


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